Mysore/Mysuru: C. Lalitha, the younger of famed ‘Bombay Sisters’ duo, who dominated the Karnatak music world for more than five decades, died in Chennai on Tuesday.

The 84-year-old, who was battling cancer for years, died at a private hospital where she was admitted due to discomfort earlier in the day.

Lalitha is survived by her husband, senior advocate and former Advocate General of Tamil Nadu N. R. Chandran.

Last rites will be held this afternoon at Besant Nagar crematorium, according to family sources.

Lalitha and her elder sister C. Saroja studied and performed music together since their early years. The duo was awarded Padma Shri in 2020.

When Saroja received the Government of India scholarship for Music in Chennai, she refused to move from their native Mumbai without Lalitha.

The entire family was forced to move into a house in Mylapore in Chennai, so that Saroja can train under Musiri Subramania Iyer for two years under the scholarship.

A year later, Lalitha also got the scholarship and joined the class. They were trained for several years by T. K. Govinda Rao.

Their debut concert at Saibaba temple in Mylapore was an opportunity they received by chance, which turned into a perfect launch pad, and they never looked back.